RDK Management, LLC Announces Key Leadership and RDK Support Structures

PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 12, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- RDK Management, LLC today announced key leadership and support services for the Reference Design Kit (RDK) with the appointment of Steve Heeb as President and General Manager of the LLC, and the selection of S3 Group and itaas to provide critical RDK support services to the LLC and its licensees.

The RDK is a pre-integrated software bundle developed and licensed to create a common framework for powering IP or hybrid set-top boxes (STBs) and gateway devices for CE manufacturers, SoC vendors, and other software developers, system integrators and TV service providers. The RDK was developed to accelerate the deployment of next-generation video services and prevent software fragmentation by providing speed-to-market, collaboration and standardization. Supported by more than 100 licensees, RDK Management, LLC was formed as a joint venture between Comcast Cable and Time Warner Cable.

RDK MANAGEMENT, LLC LEADERSHIP

Mr. Heeb brings more than 20 years of industry experience to the organization and begins in this new role immediately. He is currently Vice President, Licensing & Strategic Development at Comcast. Mr. Heeb will continue to hold this position, and other duties, in addition to his responsibilities for the RDK Management, LLC.

"Steve brings broad industry knowledge and day one readiness that is critical to successfully realizing the vast potential of the RDK," said Mike Hayashi, Executive Vice President – Architecture, Development & Engineering for Time Warner Cable. "Our goal is to ensure we maintain the developmental efficiencies that come from having a community committed to collaboration, standardization and speed to market."

"Faster innovation is the core driver behind the RDK," said Mark Hess, Senior Vice President, Business and Industry Affairs, Comcast. "Bringing Steve in as president and general manager is the logical next step for us after forming the LLC. He will help us create a very lean and efficient organization that can quickly build out the support components for the RDK. His ability to build relationships and consensus among a diverse group of OEMs, MVPDs, and other key vendors and supplier constituencies will serve the RDK community well."

"The chance to lead the RDK, at a time when the industry sits on the cusp of taking tremendous strides forward, is truly an honor," said Mr. Heeb. "The unique nature of the RDK, to simplify the development process for key products and services, has the potential to push our industry forward in a faster, more efficient manner. I am excited for the opportunity to work with our more than 100 licensees as we continue to build momentum and realize the value inherent in the RDK."

In his present role, Mr. Heeb manages key Comcast technology licensing initiatives including the DTA technology, RDK software, VOD specifications, and the EBIF interactive TV software. He joined Comcast in 1994 and has gathered a strong understanding of STB software while working on new video development initiatives such as advanced STBs, IPGs, VOD, HDTV and DVRs. Prior to Comcast, he worked at Raytheon, performing engineering and international business roles associated with multiple technology joint ventures which included extensive travel in Japan and China.

Mr. Heeb holds a MBA from Drexel University and a BSEE from The Pennsylvania State University. He has also been involved on a board or in an advisory level capacity with a variety of associations including, the Entertainment ID Registry Association (EIDR), National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Emmy Advanced Media Committee, and the Drexel University Lebow College of Business Center for Corporate and Executive Education Advisory Council.

RDK LICENSEE SUPPORT STRUCTURE

S3 Group and itaas also were selected to provide comprehensive support for the RDK developer community and to lay the foundation for rapid adoption and long-term success.

"With S3 Group and itaas, we have engaged independent third parties with respected expertise to provide the necessary community support structure to the RDK community," Mr. Heeb added. "S3 Group and itaas come to the RDK with strong backgrounds in key areas, including code management, release management, support and training. Our licensees will be able to rely on the crucial skills and resources S3 Group and itaas offer as they implement the RDK into their products and services."

S3 Group has been selected for the important role of code management in implementing the RDK vision of continuous improvement through community contribution. Critical to achieving this vision is the RDK community's ability to confidently rely on the stability and integrity of RDK code releases. In conjunction with key RDK architects and contributors, S3 Group has designed a rigorous code management process to ensure that contributions to the common code base are carefully assessed, merged, and tested prior to being made available as part of RDK releases. In addition, S3 Group will utilize best industry standard integration processes and automated configuration management to maintain the official RDK code repository that all community members will rely upon.

itaas will oversee technical support and training for licensees through the company's development, integration, testing expertise, and multiple labs. Developers seeking to rapidly learn the RDK architecture and code organization, as well as how to undertake porting and integration projects, require a robust support system to assist during the ramp-up phase and to troubleshoot issues during later phases in the development cycle. itaas has been selected to deliver well-defined onboarding and support functions for licensees in order to build a confident and competent RDK developer community.

For more information please visit http://www.rdkcentral.com.

About RDK Management, LLC
RDK Management, LLC is a joint venture between Comcast Cable and Time Warner Cable, and supported by more than 100 licensees, to administer the Reference Design Kit (RDK). Developed to accelerate the deployment of next-generation video services and prevent software fragmentation, the RDK is a pre-integrated software bundle developed and licensed to create a common framework for powering IP or hybrid set-top boxes and gateway devices for CE manufacturers, SOCs vendors and other software developers, system integrators, and TV service providers. For more information please visit http://www.rdkcentral.com.

About S3 Group
S3 Group accelerates the end-to-end delivery of multiscreen TV for digital TV programmers, operators, component vendors and managed service providers. We reduce time-to-market and improve quality for our customers as they launch and operate new products. We do this by providing solutions that combine system integration, test automation and advanced platform diagnostics, end-to-end across the content delivery chain. Founded in 1986, S3 Group, a multinational technology company, focuses on three business areas: TV Technology, Semiconductor and Telehealth, and has development centers and sales offices in Ireland, USA, Poland, Czech Republic and Portugal with representatives worldwide. Visit http://www.s3group.com/tv-technology and http://www.twitter.com/S3Group_tvtech for further information.

About itaas
itaas provides software engineering experience and expertise in the development, testing, and deployment of interactive digital video delivery across cable, IP, and wireless technologies on multiple platforms including HTML5, iOS, and Android. itaas brings nearly two years of RDK development experience resources to the project, uniquely positioning them as a subject matter expert and preferred resource for the expanding licensee community.

SOURCE RDK Management, LLC